Burning Oblivion
by jlove34
Summary: AU-NM-With Edward gone & the wolves thwarting her every turn, Victoria created her newborn army earlier, rather then later in the saga. After the threat and its creator were expunged, the Guard pay the Olympic Coven a little visit and are shocked by their absence, but quickly discover the Cullens' very human secret. Older Alec/Jane -Alec/Bella Lemons & Language (for Zorradesombra)
1. First Sight

_Written for Zorradesombra_

_(Now hurry the hell up and finish TTA!)_

_Brief mention of rape. _

_ Characters are slightly OOC_

_Jane and Alec were changed at age 16, not preteens_

_Not an E/B story._

* * *

**_"Nothing is more permanent than passion when you have a heart of stone. No one needs more dusting than a sensitive soul who has a heart of ash."_**

**_― Bauvard, Evergreens Are Prudish_**

**_*Twilight is the sole property of SM and publishing company*_**

**_Chapter 1-First Sight_**

**_Alec_**

* * *

Solitude. As a perpetual teenaged boy, I should not ever yearn for such self-imposed purgatory. Yet, daily, as my sibling and I were released of our service, we welcomed it on bated breath. While we enjoyed inflicting mind-numbing emptiness and scorching pain upon the enemies of the crown, Jane and I craved the silent solidarity and harmony that only family could offer. After a thousand years of mayhem, massacres, and hostile takeovers, my sister and I chose our exclusive camaraderie, protecting ourselves from the overwhelming starkness of immortality. Despite our immense powers, we were no safer from unknown adversaries than the average vampire. If anything, we touted our death warrants around our necks like proverbial nooses, calling retribution on the wind like wraithed couriers.

Our reputations preceded us everywhere we roamed. The horror stories that ghosted through the throngs of covens and nomads painted a comprehensive look into the nature of our being. Whether the stories were factual or not, was of little consequence. It instilled an air of trepidation and respect in the minds of the Volturi's subjects, making them ponder their actions completely before being willfully defiant.

Jane and I had lived in Volterra for over a thousand years. Yet, even after all these centuries, neither she nor I could acclimate ourselves the ambiance of the castle. Instead, we chose to lock ourselves away from all others—those _friends_ who would chose our company only to garner our _favor_. Our upbringing had not been pleasant, and the manner in which we met our demise was equally distasteful. Even as humans, we were distrustful of those around us and immortality had not changed those feelings. We rarely permitted anyone in to our exclusive circle. Even our sire, Aro, had not been given formal entrance into our secret society. Of course, he knew of these truths through one touch, yet he remained willfully ignorant and eyed us with an air of scrutiny from time to time. I often pondered whether he expected us to lash out and destroy him. He needn't worry on such things. We were loyal and faithful servants who would do his bidding to a fault, regardless of Chelsea's influence. Jane and I had never forgotten who yanked us from the fire.

This day afforded us the opportunity to stretch our legs and reacquaint ourselves with our skills. Newborns had ravaged the city of Seattle, murdering indiscriminately and without guidance. We rarely intervened in territorial wars, unless they brought about excessive loss of life and media attention. However, this particular creator was unskilled and careless with her creations, allowing them to go on bloodthirsty rampages and causing widespread panic amongst the humans. This vampire was extremely foolish—definitely no Maria. Unfortunately, the vampire world were questioning the Volturi's effectiveness, and so, we enforced the mandate post-haste.

Disposing of the newborns was mundane. The thirty-two newborns posed very little challenge to the four of us and fell within a matter of minutes. These creatures were certainly not created to challenge any of the surrounding rival clans, otherwise they would have had more military training under their belts. Their creator, Victoria, was anything but boring. She was an interesting and tumultuous creature whose desperate need for revenge became her greatest weakness.

During her painful questioning, we were thoroughly entertained by her motive and goaded her to anger when we spoke ill of her supposed mate. In the process of taunting the red-haired slattern, we were informed of a rather unexpected crime. One of Volterra's favored and former residents, Carlisle Cullen, had willfully broken another law—one of the most important decrees in our world. The flaxen-haired Patriarch of the Olympic Coven had succumbed to his greatest weakness—humans. It seemed he allowed his protegé to keep a human _pet_ and allowed her to roam all of Washington with knowledge of our kind. And if that was not a big enough offense, he killed a superior creature in her stead. Mate or no, it was forbidden to allow her to live with such information. Definitely an unwise decision on his part. His penchant for humans would ultimately cost him his life.

The supernatural world was no place for mortals. Their only purpose in life was to serve the superior race. Advanced or not, those disgusting blood bags outnumbered us by the millions, and should our secret ever surface, they could easily overpower us, plunging the vampire race into unchartered waters. Even when the Romanians were in power, our kind always teetered precariously on the edge of destruction. Since the Volturi's rule, and with vigilant restraint and meticulous policing, the humans had forgotten our kind existed outside of legends and nightmares. Reacquainting them with such knowledge was foolish. Ignorance was power, in this case, and by repressing our kind, we ensured our safety and anonymity.

In the end, the bitch's mandated execution was far overdue. Aro had sentenced her to death centuries ago, but she had stealthily escaped Demetri's clutches and remained just outside of his grasp, thus spurning his fury—a first for our expert tracker.

After he had been divested the red-haired demon of her limbs, Demetri tortured the squalid fiend for hours, enjoying himself far too much. He quickly tired of his game and removed her head, the last remnant of her immortality, gleefully bathing himself in her venom.

**_~~Burning Oblivion~~_**

Jane could hardly quell her giddiness as she pranced around the battlefield and gathered the remains of skirmish, adding their flesh to the dozens of cloying, purple pyres. Watching our enemies burn was her greatest delight in this life, whether by her gift or in actual combat, and I encouraged it whenever possible. Fire was psychotherapy to my twin. I understood her appetite for inflicting pain. I rather enjoyed it, as well, on occasion, though it was not the same. The vermilion inferno fed her inner demon and calmed her feral side, burning layers off of her memories. When her garnet eyes sparkled with joy, I could almost envisage the small, innocent child of our youth who had not been burdened by a millennia of pain.

"I shall never understand the appeal of mainstreaming with humans," I mused, thinking of Carlisle's folly as I dropped my lighter on a pile of severed bodies. "When he was Aro's guest, I was optimistic for Carlisle's conversion. His intellect was unprecedented, but I believe his penchant for human life skewed his mind. Quite sad really. Now, he obviously believes himself the savior of our people, spotless and above reproach, prancing around Washington like a sparkly fairy and spewing our secrets to anyone who will listen."

Loud raucous laughter boomed through the trees, echoing in every direction. I looked up from my task to watch Felix and Demetri falling all over themselves at my musing. Their mental capacity, on occasion, rivaled that of small toddlers that clung to their mother's skirts. At times, it truly boggled my mind that either of them were inducted into the elite guard. _Idiots._

After she had finished with her task, Jane propped herself against the trunk of a large oak and crossed her tiny legs, looking somberly off into the distance. Slightly annoyed by their mirth, she glanced over to the two morons and shook her head. Then her garnet eyes swept to mine, opening wide. My twin watched me for a split-second before returning her gaze to the fire. For some reason, her silent contemplation perturbed me. "Some people's children," she sneered.

"Oh, Alec! Doctor Feel Good wasn't so squeaky clean during his time in Volterra. Other than consuming inferior blood, he engaged in a rather sordid affair with… Aro." My eyes grew wide. You learn something new everyday. "Their Saturday rendezvous' to the gardens were legendary. I am surprised you never noticed, or rather heard. Perhaps if you and Janie were out more, we would not have to educate you on the happenings of the castle," Demetri boomed, garnering a rather unladylike gesture from my sister and loud guffaws from his fellow guard member.

Felix grabbed Demetri by the shoulder and shook him excitedly. "I can surely understand his conversion. Have you seen the good Doctor's mate? Da-mn! She is one fine piece of ass, that woman."

Demetri raised his eyebrows in agreement and gave a thumbs-up, using his hands to map out Esme's curvy body.

I rolled my eyes at my fellow companions. Their licentiousness knew no end. They reminded me of old women with their gossip.

The tracker's features turned grim and pain laced his words, "No, I do not believe the secret fell from Carlisle's lips directly, although his weakness for his first-born facilitated this fiasco. Carlisle is smitten with him. Always has been. He would do anything for that twat, even allow dear ole' Eddie to destroy him. Such an idiotic decision from such a brilliant vampire."

I opened my mouth to respond, but before the words slipped off my tongue, my sister's phone vibrated. Obviously, Aro's ears were burning. I often wondered if my sire had a secondary gift; one that alerted him to the completion of our missions. His timing was uncanny. Before cellular devices, the four of us were afforded leniency and delightful respite from the dreadful formality of castle protocol. Our mini sabbaticals were once so blissful. _Infuriating devices!_

My sister grasped the tiny device and held the receiver to her ear before the second ring. "Master," Jane said reverently.

"Ah, Jane," he crooned, clapping his hands together in the background like a small child on Christmas. "It warms my dead heart to hear your voice again, my precious child. Is it done then? Were you able to keep a low profile?"

"Yes, Master Aro. The threat has been contained and their creator destroyed along with them. However, there were complications. In the process of questioning the creator, we have learned of another infraction. Our secret was disclosed to a human—"

Aro roared in the background, effectively cutting off my sister's explanation, "A human? Why have you not destroyed this threat?"

Jane rolled her eyes. "Master, this human resides with the Cullens."

I heard a tongue clicking in the background. Aro obviously still favored his former lover, and in my opinion, he afforded him far too much leniency for his infractions. "That does pose a problem, does it not? Perhaps, you four should pay them a visit. Should the human be amongst them, make it a point to destroy her in their presence. Then, I should like you to collect the entire coven and bring them to Volterra. Judgment is required in this case. Leave post-haste and alert me with your progress."

Jane took a deep, unnecessary breath and blew it out slowly. "As you wish, Master."

"Dearest sister? Has Aro truly mandated us to visit the Cullens?"

I heard the conversation clearly, though I hoped that I was sorely mistaken. I had not wished to interact with any covens on this journey, especially the Cullens. Carlisle's children raked on my nerves. Perhaps, I would anesthetize them and save myself from meaningless protocol, mindless chatter, and adamant denials. With Aro, one must always expect the unexpected.

Jane rolled her eyes and tucked the tiny device in her cloak. "Truly. Truly," she deadpanned.

The four of us quickly dashed around the clearing and snuffed out the remaining pyres, spreading the ashes about. More nauseating, amethyst smoke billowed up from the ground and quickly dissipated in the air. Their creation was such a waste. The blood bags would have been better fodder for pigs.

**_~~Burning Oblivion~~_**

We threw our hoods over our heads, just as we had done thousands of times prior, and ghosted across the landscape, our dark cloaks billowing out behind us like dark, ominous clouds. We sprinted through the forest as though we were streaks of lighting, phantoms of the night, easily circumventing the fallen trees and bounding across ravines. Each quick stride took us closer to our destination and gently eased the almost constant ache in my chest.

I took in a ragged breath just inside the outcropping of trees that bordered the Cullen property and slid to an abrupt stop. I bent over and clutched my chest as though I were out of breath; completely caught off guard by the sudden release of pressure. For eighteen years, this malady had housed itself directly under my sternum, slightly painful and unrelenting. I had always attributed it to our solace. Yet, now that it had mysteriously vanished, I questioned my logic completely. Something in the immediate vicinity had caused this phenomenon, and it unsettled me greatly. This had not transpired on any of our previous missions, and we had visited this residence on several occasions. Yet, I could not deny the sensation. It was unnerving.

My three companions mirrored my sudden stop and gazed at me with curiosity and trepidation. They tensed and slightly crouched, scanning the area for threats.

Jane scowled, a deep line forming between her brows. "Alec? What has happened?"

I straightened and took a cleansing breath, gazing around the area in frustration. "I do not know. There is a power here that is pulsing around my body. Something very light and electric clings to the air. Perhaps witchcraft is involved."

My sister looked at me as though I had grown two heads. Obviously, she was not experiencing the enchantment in the air, nor did she believed my theory of witchcraft. "Brother, are you feeling well? Is your head screwed on tightly? There is nothing here."

Demetri and Felix adamantly agreed, smirking at my sister's jab.

I shook my head and took another quick cursory glance at my surroundings, still convinced that supernatural forces were at work. I gasped at the sight before me as I stepped out on the lawn. I expected to see a meticulously manicured garden, but the flora was overgrown and untended. This was very unlike Carlisle's mate, who always kept everything so pristine. _Curious_. As we slowly and silently whisked through the tall grass, I quickly noticed the iron safeguards were all lowered, obscuring the glass windows that swept in every direction. The residence was abandoned…for some time, I gathered by the lack of scent in the immediate vicinity. Aro would be unsettled by their abrupt disappearance. The nomad was correct. Carlisle's coven was hiding something.

I took in the property in one sweeping glance, cataloging everything in my line of sight. On the last pass, I was surprised to see a small figure crouched by a brook that ran through the Cullen property. The young woman was slender and thin— far too thin— perhaps slightly gaunt in today's society. The girl had long, wavy mahogany hair that hung past her hips. Her creamy, ivory skin was nearly pristine, its only flaw was an abundance of salty tears that continually fell from beneath her long, sweeping lashes. She was beautiful for a mortal, and it saddened me to watch her suffer. I had an overwhelming urge to comfort her somehow, and this new emotion unnerved and angered me, for I did not _feel_.

As we bound across the water, her dark eyes swept up and met mine, causing my dead heart to quiver slightly. The woman sprung to her feet and took several steps backward, slack jawed and eyes wide with realization. She knew we were not human. _Perfect_. _It has been a long time since I have tortured a human_. I found myself almost giddy with anticipation.

In a nanosecond my thoughts and feelings changed with a shift in the air current, riffling her dark hair around her body in a billowing curtain. Her cloying and flowery scent assaulted me. I took a deep, unnecessary breath and filled my lungs with her beautiful fragrance. Fresh honey and forget-me-nots gleefully danced upon my tongue, tingling throughout my body like a volt of electricity and causing the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.

My mouth should have seethed with venom. Young post-pubescent women were the most palatable, in my opinion. Their burgeoning hormones made for a delicious and satisfying end to the burn. Yet, the slender, brunette beauty was surprisingly unappetizing, to my dismay. I could no more consume her blood than murder my sister. It angered me thoroughly that this tiny human had such an effect on me. I wanted—no needed— to take my frustrations out on this child, make her suffer for the knowledge that was in the forefront of her mind. Powerful as I was, I wanted to flee from this little human. However, her magic was overwhelmingly strong, and with each delicious thud of her heart, she pulled me under her spell. _Damn her and her seduction!_

I hastily glanced around at my fellow vampires and realized that they were just as captivated by her presence but unaffected by her strange enchantments. It was ironic that the threat of magic was the cornerstone of my human demise and would likely be the cause of more agony in the future.

"Well, well, well," Demetri purred, tossing the hood of his cloak back with a quick flick of his wrists. The three of us followed suit. The tracker studied the girl for a moment and then adjusted the obvious discomfort in his pants. She shuddered at his crudeness and looked away. I growled at his action, thoroughly startling myself and my sister. Jane's once garnet eyes, now a sparkling obsidian, swept up to meet mine, eying me serendipitously. She smiled ironically at my reaction.

"What do we have here? The fur-munchers have left their pet all alone. What a shame. She is quite appealing for a human. Perhaps, Carlisle's brat grew tired of his human lover.-" He looked at her and smiled. "-Shall I take you on that piano in the foyer and let you feel what a talented lover can do, little kitten? You smell delightful!"

"You disgust me!" she hissed, backing herself against a large oak. "The Cullens are gone...they aren't here! Just leave me be."

Felix swiftly closed the distance between them and chuckled, running his thumb lightly through her tears and greedily sucking the salty liquid from his finger. She angrily rammed her palms into his chest, screaming at him to step back and leave her alone. Fury washed over her features like rain, briefly tinting her satin skin a deep crimson. Her dark eyes bore into his with such an intensity that he flinched, albeit infinitesimally. Felix reverently dipped his head and complied, smirking at her righteous indignation.

My eyes flashed to Jane's and we briefly shared a 'what the fuck moment' before returning to the mesmerizing situation before us. Neither she nor I had witnessed human command a vampire and have him comply. It was oddly fascinating and highly erotic.

"If you do not want her Demetri, I will be happy to take her off your hands. This little one has fire in her belly. I would take great pleasure in breaking down those walls."

The girl collapsed to her knees and fell forward, mumbling almost incoherently, "Just kill me and get it over with. Please…please…God. Please don't rape me!"

I clenched my fists and growled under my breath, garnering a quick grin from my sister. Jane was enjoying my erratic emotions and obvious difficulty. _Damn my sister and her insightfulness!_

Felix threw his head back and laughed, grabbing a bundle of hair and pulling her to her feet. The brunette struggled and shrieked in pain. The brute gently released her hair and shared a knowing look with Demetri. The girl took off toward the house at a full sprint. The boys gave her a slight head start and then slowly stalked behind her, following her retreating form around the house.

A piercing scream echoed through the twilight. It was jagged and resonant, slicing clean through my body like a sithe. My knees bucked slightly and a sliver of trepidation skittered up my spine. It was a foreign sensation, obviously artificially instilled within me.

Now, I had little doubt that the child could cast charms. I was under her spell completely, so why would I care if Felix and Demetri had their fun? Whatever it was. She was a filthy, despicable human—inferior—worth nothing but the blood that flowed through her veins. _…but beautiful and brave._ I grabbed my hair in frustration. _No! No! No!_ I feel nothing. She was nothing to me. Absolutely nothing.

"YOU. ARE. MINE," Demetri growled in her ear, toting her back around the front of the house slung over one shoulder.

I expected the girl's submission, though his words only spurned her to fight harder, kicking and screaming under his hold. He laughed as he threw her body to the ground and pinned her with one massive hand, unbuckling his pants with the other. I knew her fate, and sadly, so did she. Yet, I did nothing. I had seen that look before in his eyes—blood lust was ruling his rational mind. The girl muttered to herself that she would not die like this. She refused to allow him to defile her body and used every ounce of her human strength to attempt to dissuade him.

When she looked at me with tears in her eyes, everything changed. A pain sprouted in my chest. It was so overwhelming that I could not ignore it. I refused to allow that innocent girl to die in that manner.

Anger seethed up from inside my body, and I roared in fury, grabbing the massive man by the nape of the neck and throwing him to the ground. I grabbed a handful of hair, tilted his neck back, and sunk my teeth into his trachea, removing a large chunk of flesh in the process. I spat the disgusting tissue on the ground and growled, stepping back and gleefully watching the large wound weep venom down his cloak.

Demetri bound to his feet seconds later and dove into my shoulder, catching me slightly off guard. I splayed my fingers open and allowed the inky, billowing smoke to seep out of palms. Unfortunately, my gift worked far too slowly, and before I realized my dire predicament, Demetri had me bound to his chest, forearms under my arm pits, and in tight headlock, preparing to remove my head.

I raised my arms and grabbed his face between my palms, waiting for the darkness of my gift to overcome him. Strangely, it had no effect on the larger man. The pain of my marble flesh splintering under his fingers was intense and mind altering. The girl looked on in horror and stumbled to her feet, watching me with new tears brimming her eyes. Her beautiful face was a lovely sight to behold in my last moments, and oddly, I felt whole in her presence.

Abruptly, I fell to my hands and knees unharmed, gasping for unnecessary breath. The tiny brunette dropped beside me and brushed my hair from my face. She placed her hands on either side of my face and opened her lips to speak, but her attempts were overshadowed by a feral scream that ripped through the darkness like fiery claws, sending up a crescendo of pain and misery to the heavens.

"Pain," Jane hissed, leering at Demetri with demonic eyes. He was writhing on the ground as if he were burning at the stake himself, screaming into the heavens for mercy, as my sister circled him like a buzzard. "Agony can break a person in a matter of seconds. Strong and capable warriors have all crumbled under the strain of my power. Sadistic as I am, I refuse to allow you to defile that child. Moreover, unless I am wrong, the girl belongs to Alec, and as we are the highest-ranking guards on this mission, we have decreed that this child shall remain alive and unsoiled until we arrive back to Volterra."

Jane eased up on her power and quickly snatched the girl from my side, pulling her gently against her chest. I quickly stood and purposely sauntered over to the massive man. I straddled his still writhing form and crouched low, allowing the dark, cloying smoke to seep from my fingertips. Demetri's eyes grew wide, and he beseeched me to stop my attack, questioning my motives. "The girl belongs to me!" I hissed, quieting his senses before he could utter another word.

This surely was not a good sign.

* * *

FYI-Bella isn't a witch. I'm sure you have theories but the answer is fairly simple. Our boy will be willfully ignorant to the signs, though, and will hold Bella at bay. Don't expect a quick acceptance.

Review y'all.

Check out my other stories while you wait. Expect the next chapter of Revolutionizing Bella very soon!

**_Also, check out this other cool story with the same pairing._**

**_The Volturi's Secret Angel by RavenR22_**

Summary: Caius keeps his wing to the castle closed off and under special guard  
at all times. Alec forever 18 has felt a pull towards that forbidden wing. The  
year is 2013, 1,200 years after Alec and Jane were turned, and the secret of  
the forbidden wing will change how the witch twins see the world and will help  
Alec find love and trust in someone other than his sister. Rated T for now.

s/9634391/20/


	2. Distractions are a Bitch

*Warning. B/E sex flashback_. In addition, Edward is a true dill hole to Bella. You should stop reading if you're sensitive to a bit of Edward bashing, because frankly, he deserves it in this fic. Sorry, I adore Eddie, too, but this plot detail is crucial for Bella's future development and relationship. _

_FYI: I've paraphrased Edward's words from the New Moon forest chapter and twisted them into letter form. _

_(Remember, just like in New Moon, he's __**attempting**__ to leave her for her own good. Though, he's a real dick while doing it.) _End warning*

If you read the previous chapter when it was first uploaded it, I had Felix be the one who almost raped Bella. I changed it to Demetri. I have plans for Felix.

* * *

**_"She'd cried over a broken heart before. She knew what that felt like, and it didn't feel like this. Her heart felt not so much broken as just ... empty. It felt like she was an outline empty in the middle. The outline cried senselessly for the absent middle. The past cried for the present that was nothing." ― Ann Brashares, Sisterhood Everlasting. _**

**_*Twilight is the sole property of SM and her publishing company.*_**

**_Chapter 2- Distractions are a Bitch_**

**_Bella_**

* * *

Several months had passed since Edward departure, yet my heart still skipped a beat every time I heard his name. All things considered, it was difficult not to respond. The purplish-black bruises had slowly faded from my skin weeks prior, leaving behind nearly translucent smudges of yellow and green. Strangely, I had grown rather fond of the blemishes that had spackled my hips, thighs, ribs, and arms, and now that they had all but vanished, I felt alone. The damage was proof that he existed—testimony of the love I _believed_ we had shared. Though, nearly all vestiges of _that night _had left my physical body, my memory of our time together would never dissipate over time, however much he wished it would have.

Edward had warned me of the inherent dangers of our sexual encounter. He was concerned for my physical safety, afraid of potentially losing control. At the time, I believed he was being over cautious and exasperatingly overbearing. He had the proclivity to exaggerate everything, or so I believed. I adored Edward, and I understood the risk completely, however, the consequences were of little concern. A mute point really. Nothing he said could dissuade me from seeking out a physical relationship. Sex was the natural progression of any relationship. Honestly, I should've looked a generation back in my lineage to see what sex had done to my parent's relationship. Obviously, it was an erroneous mistake on my part. I had always been rather stubborn, in that regard. Of course, hindsight was twenty-twenty.

On my eighteenth birthday—a day I've labeled the 'Day of Black Sun'—Edward skipped town with my innocence and my family, leaving me with nothing more than a cliché _Dear Jane_ letter on my pillow and sense of worthlessness in my heart. The letter was straightforward and formal, the product of a very skillful and learned manipulator. Apparently, the memo was meant to heighten my resentment for his character. Perhaps force me to move forward. However, after reading his words, those terrible contemptuous and beautifully penned words, I had half-a-mind to find Edward Cullen and beat him about the head with his own arm.

I winced at the memories, feeling the waterworks dam up behind my thick lashes. Thinking about him, even now, so many months later, brought a new ache to my chest. Loosing the battle, I pulled the parchment out of my jean pocket and scanned it over one last time, feeling the anger and grief slither back inside my heart, inciting a new round of tears.

Beneath the Cullen crest, on blonde linen stationery with a damask border, were Edward's words. The lovely paper was in terrible condition: wrinkled, overly folded, and tear-stained. Having stared at the perfect swirling letters and hurtful words a million times, I could've recited them in my sleep. Yet, allowing my eyes to roam over the familiar letter gave me some sort of normalcy, however fucked up that sounded.

_Isabella,_

_ I'm so very sorry to have chosen this moment to take my leave. It's both callous and cruel of me to leave you alone, especially after the beautiful night we shared. It was truly a magical evening, one I will remember for the rest of eternity. Even so, looking over your ghastly wounds, I have come to realize you just don't belong to my world. Pretending to be human isn't good for either of us. I didn't have the strength to stay away, but I've gathered the strength to keep you safe. I've allowed this fiasco to continue for far too long, because I cared for you and believed we could whether any storm. I am truly remiss that I've caused you to suffer to brunt of my shortcomings and lead you to believe that our kind was compatible, for we are anything but. My sins are painfully obvious now. _

_I promise you'll not see me again. You can go on with your life without any more interference from me. It will be as if I never existed. I understand this will be devastating for you to accept, perhaps even cause you to become disheartened, but you're human. Humans are resilient creatures. Time heals all wounds for your kind._

_Of course, I'll always love you. I could never forget the time we shared together. You will be forever etched in my mind, always young, beautiful, and brave. My wish for you is to live a long and happy human life and forget Edward Cullen ever existed. I will do my best to keep my promise. It should be relatively straightforward. My kind…we're very easily distracted._

_Sincerely,_

_Edward Cullen_

Some distractions were evidently better than others were and taking my virginity obviously wasn't a poignant enough moment in his existence to keep me at his side. It turned my stomach that he wanted me to disregard _that_ memory. Forgetting his existence was unconscionable, however much I wished that it could happen.

I grasped the beautiful paper and meticulously tore the article into tiny slivers, dropping each disparaging bit into the fast flowing stream on the Cullen property. The water was whipping wildly through the riverbed, splashing me gently with water droplets on its journey downstream. I took a quick cursory glance at the large, white mansion and sighed. I hated that Edward made me return to the scene of the crime to dispose of his cowardly excuse for a goodbye.

**_*Flashback*_**

I woke up to strong, cool arms wrapped around my waist. Edward pulled me against his chest, and I moaned as his morning _affliction_ dug into my ass. I ground myself against him, garnering a rather feral growl in my ear. He trailed his fingers up my sternum, cupped my chin, and tilted it toward his mouth, ghosting his lips against mine.

"Happy Birthday, my love," he breathed, sending light shivers through my body. "I know you specifically stated no presents, though if I'm not mistaken, there is one present you've been continually coveting. I love you, Isabella Swan, and I'm tired of playing indifferent to your beautiful body. I want nothing more than to lavish you with affection and worship your body. I want to watch ecstasy cross your features and feel you contract around my length."

_Holy Fuck. Am I dreaming?_

I almost came undone by the underlying desire that coated each word. Feeling him against me set me on fire.

Edward grasped me by the waist and rolled to his back, swinging my body on to his. I boldly straddled him and shifted myself over his ever-burgeoning erection, purposely rubbing my core against his groin. He closed his eyes and tightened his fingers on my thighs, moaning at my continued ministrations. I bent my head slightly and touched my mouth lightly to his, deepening the kiss when he parted his lips. Edward growled and forcibly grasped my waist, rolling our bodies swiftly on to the mattress. We continued our passionate kiss while he nudged my legs apart with his knee, settling himself between my thighs.

Hovering over my frame, Edward ground his groin against my pelvic bone. I sucked in a deep lungful of air and moaned in pleasure as his cool frame continually stimulated my sensitive bundle of nerves at my core. I arched my chest against his and raised my pelvis, allowing desire to wash over me, not wanting to lose the ratcheting friction.

"Oh, God. Edward," I murmured almost incoherently.

Edward cupped my cheek and trailed soft kisses from my lips, across my jaw and down the clavicle towards the hollow of my throat, nuzzling the soft flesh right above my breastbone. "Oh, Bella, love. You smell divine," he breathed.

My angel pushed himself to his knees and slipped an arm gently under my body, lifting my torso off the mattress, quickly divesting me of my sleep tank. He threw the article to the ground and gazed longingly at my bare breasts. I watched with a mixture of awe and trepidation as the topaz of his eyes bled away, revealing the liquid onyx of hunger and lust.

_Was this really happening?_

Edward cupped my waist with the palms of his hands and reverently slid me back to the mattress, running his fingers the length of my ribcage. His cool fingers set my naked flesh ablaze, and I shivered as his roaming hands stopped at the curvature of my breasts. My heart rate increased exponentially when he tenderly cupping the soft flesh in his palm. I hissed in pleasure at his wandering fingers, mewling loudly when they danced across each hardened nipple. He gently pulled and twisted the taunt peaks, garnering another moan.

Edward gently lowered himself between my legs and wrapped one arm around my back, placing all of his weight on the opposite elbow. His free hand ghosted down my ribcage and trailed his dexterous fingers softly across my abdomen, pausing, once again, at my breasts. I cried out in delight, as he turned his attention to the opposite nipple, leaning down and blowing cool air across my sensitive skin. As he traced the contours of my breasts, twirling and taunting my engorged peaks with his lithe digits, I felt as though my body would fly apart at the seams.

Suddenly, my god-like Adonis halted his fondling and quickly launched himself to his feet. I was worried at first but when Edward grabbed the seam of his shirt, I knew all was well. Edward promptly tore the article in two, watching as buttons scattered haphazardly across my bedroom. I propped myself up on my elbows and watched him struggle with the rest of the garment, smirking at the thought of Edward unable to accomplish something as simple as removing a shirt. When he'd finally liberated himself of his shirt, he tossed the item to the floor, glaring at the inanimate object as though it had aggrieved him somehow. He eyed me hungrily as his long fingers rested on my belt buckle. He raised my eyebrows, giving me the opportunity to bail. There was no way on God's green earth that I wasn't having sex this morning. I nodded emphatically and took in a ragged breath, biting my bottom lip and rubbing my thighs together in anticipation.

Edwards ineptly slipped the leather from the buckle and freed the button of his jeans, lowering the zipper carefully. I watched my lovely angel slip his hands into his jeans and slid them down his hips, promptly releasing his ever-burgeoning erection from its confinement.

I licked my lips.

I gasped at the sight before me, entirely transfixed by his naked form. I was certain that I would never see anything so beautiful in my entire life. Everything about him was striking, from the perfect curvature of his hips to his firm, sculpted chest. He grasped his engorged member firmly in one hand and stroked it hard, examining me with lust filled eyes.

Several seconds later, Edward crawled slowly back on to the mattress and kneeled between my thighs. He grabbed the hem of my sleep shorts and gently tugged both my panties and my shorts down my hips. I lifted my ass off the bed and he swiftly slid them down my thighs, throwing the items behind him with utter abandon. His fingers felt like fire as they trailed down my skin. "Are you certain this you want, love?"

I nodded fervently. My hands flew up and grasped him around the neck, pulling his face close to mine and touching my lips to his. He groaned and sucked my bottom lip into his mouth, ever so gently nibbling it with his teeth.

Grabbing my knees, Edward pushed my legs apart, revealing my warm, pink flesh. My breathing was erratic, pulse hammering in my chest. I wanted him so fucking badly that I could feel it in my bones. Edward looked at me hungrily. For a moment, it looked as though he were warring with himself, suppressing the veracious creature that was looming in his obsidian eyes.

My love laid one hand on my knee and the other on my inner thigh, slowly tracing small circles on my knee. _Oh, God. _I closed my eyes and moaned, as he trailed his long, slim fingers across the crease of my hip and ghosted it ever so softly across my sex. It was as light as a feather but set every nerve ending on fire. I shuddered and cried out as he traced each digit through my folds, coaxing my body to become wet with arousal. My hips bucked against his hand, as he swirled them around my nub with precision.

Obviously being a telepath was beneficial. His many years of accidental exposure to the sexual exploits of his siblings had educated him in the art of foreplay. Those long fingers moved as though he were manipulating the tiny black and white keys on his piano, stirring across my body in a concerto of ecstasy. Even inexperienced, my Edward was quite definitely a protégé with his hands.

Slowly he inched one finger into my warmth, pirouetting it around my core like a dancer. and sliding it out only to plunge it back in. I hissed with pleasure. He experimentally slipped a second in and moved both digits in and out swiftly, garnering delicious sounds out of my lovely lips. Edward continued his ministrations with fervor, enjoying the sight of me writhing on my bed, hair splayed out like a halo.

I opened her eyes, gazing at him though hooded lids. He removed his fingers and brought them to his mouth, laving every drop of arousal from his fingers. Naughty Edward was deliciously evil. "Jesus, you taste so fucking delicious, angel."

Raising my arms, I snaked them around the back of his neck and hungrily attacked his mouth. Our lips moved in a wonderful rhythm, our tongues dancing together, warring for dominance. Edward pulled back slightly and laid his forehead against mine, both of us panting.

Edward looked down at me and scowled. "Are you certain this is what you want? This will hurt. I may hurt you."

"Please, Edward! No more excuses. No stalling. I need you."

Edward sighed and settled between my legs again. He grasped the back of my thighs and ever so gently pulled my body toward his, aligning his erection against my overly slick entrance. My vampire love wasted no time and eased his way slowly into my core, pausing to allow me to become accustomed to his girth.

He leaned down and placed his lips lightly on my nose, panting heavily as he eased himself past my barrier, halting when his hips rested against my backside. I clamped my eyes shut and hissed in pain, jerking my head and biting down on my lip to quell the cry that was strangled in my throat. Edward was a perfect angel and remained stock-still, eyes firmly closed and teeth grinding together. I knew he was struggling to remain unmoving.

His intrusion was a completely foreign feeling, but not entirely unpleasant, either, and as several minutes passed, the twinge was replaced with _need_.

I reached up and cupped his cheek, reassuring him. "Please, I'll be all right."

Edward pulled himself out slowly, then gently grasped my waist and drew me toward him, using the motion to thrust himself forward a little harder—a little deeper. My love trailed one hand from my waist and cupped one breast, kneading the flesh softly while simultaneously swirling his thumb around my hardened nipple. He closed his forefinger and thumb around the sensitive peak, pinching it and twisting the supple flesh.

Every nerve in my body came alive at his touch. His pace quickened each stroke faster and harder— exquisite friction. My earlier spasm was quickly replaced with a quickening in my core, as he continually slid against the bundle of nerves at my center, bringing me ever closer to mind-numbing pleasure.

"Oh, Bella," he breathed shakily, thrusting himself inside of me roughly. "You are so beautiful, love."

"Oh, Edward!" I moaned, digging my fingers into the mattress.

The muscles in my lower abdomen began to tremble and tighten, causing my legs to quaver under his steady movement. I linked my ankles together above his ass and raised my pelvis, forcing our bodies to collide with slightly more fervor. The waves of release crashed down all around me, sending me into a mind-numbing tailspin of passion.

I threw my head back against the mattress and screamed out his name, floating on a sea of postcoital bliss. A feral snarl from above my head wrenched me from my beautifully delicious reverie. I opened my eyes and gasped at his inhuman beauty. Sex looked delicious on the tall vampire. Edward grasped my ass tightly and increased his tempo, thrusting erratically into my core, causing me to fall over the edge again.

"Oh, Bella," he grunted, pounding me for a final time.

Our combined cries of rapture echoed through my house in a crescendo.

_***End Flashback***_

When my memories and my tears had run dry, I crouched by the stream, grasped a palm full of water, and splashed it on my face, relishing in the feeling of the frigid water as it healed my current woes.

A flash of black in my periphery vision startled me. My eyes swept up and met four sets of garnet eyes, all watching me me serendipitously. _Great._ _Vampires_. An air of apprehension swept over me like a heady fog, stifling me with its intensity. These creatures didn't share in Carlisle's dogma regarding human blood consumption. These were the eyes of murderers. I gasped loudly and jumped to my feet, scurrying backwards in an attempt to keep a wide birth between us.

"Well, well, well," one of the vampires purred, tossing the hood of his cloak back with a quick flick of his wrists. The remaining three removed their hoods, as well. I quickly made note of their faces.

The man who spoke was a large gentleman with an olive complexion, a sharp jaw, and an abundance of dark hair that flowed over the shoulder of his painstakingly pristine, cobalt suit and dark cloak. The vampire reminded me of a rigid sword, hard and lean, ready for battle.

The second man was a great hulking beast, rivaling Emmett with his height and stature. Under his pale pallor, his olive complexion was a shade or two darker than the first but equally as lovely. He had a short-cropped halo of dark hair, reminiscent of crow feathers, shiny like a well-polished pair of Armani shoes. He was also dressed to the nine in a dark, double-breasted suit and matching cloak. (Obviously a running theme.)

Both men were quite frightening, but whereas the first man was rigid and lean, this man was akin to an iron-spiked cudgel.

The remaining two, a boy and girl of my age, were easily the most exquisite creatures in the clearing. Their flaxen hair and soft features enraptured me. Even though the duo were unconcerned by my presence, I couldn't fain indifference. There was something about their outward appearance or demeanor that called to me on a basic level. Standing in their presence felt right—like coming home.

Both vampires were breathtakingly beautiful. The boy stood tall and leonine with full lips and long lashes. The girl was shapely and just as lovely; her long, blonde hair hanging in loose ringlets down her back. She was the only vampire who wore a stitch of color under the long cloaks tinted various shades of charcoal—crimson to match her leering eyes.

A movement in my peripheral vision brought me back to the present—back to the danger at hand. The initial instigator studied me for a moment and smiled broadly, adjusting the bulge in his pants. I swallowed hard and shuddered at his boorish behavior. At times, men were such vile creatures. I looked away, startled by a feral growl that emanated from the group.

"What do we have here? The fur-munchers have left their pet all alone. What a shame. She is quite appealing for a human. Perhaps, Carlisle's brat grew tired of his human lover. Shall I take you on that piano in the foyer and let you feel what a talented lover can do, little kitten? You smell delightful!"

I swallowed the bile that rose in my throat. By the disdain in his tone and the affliction in his pants, I had a sneaking suspicion that he wanted more than to engage me in friendly banter.

"You disgust me!" I snapped, unconsciously backing myself against a large oak. Tears trickled out of the corners of my eyes. "The Cullens are gone...they aren't here!"

_Geez. You tell 'em Bella. You sound truly menacing. I'm certain they'll turn tail and run._

In the blink of an eye, the largest vampire stood mere inches from my body, running his thumb lightly through the trail of traitorous tears that streamed down my cheeks. His eyes rolled into the back of his head when he exuberantly laved the salty liquid from his finger, humming with delight as it danced across this tastebuds.

His disgusting display pissed me off, and I stepped forward and shoved my palms against his hulking chest, anger rolling through my body like an electric current. "Move the fuck back and never touch me again!"

I glared into his garnet eyes until the hulking beast flinched. _Flinched? Surprisingly yes. _The vampire reverently dipped his head and complied with my demands, smirking at me. Hmm. _Did he move of his own accord? Or did I compel him to do so?_ I'll revisit that revelation later.

"If you do not want her Demetri, I will be happy to take her off your hands. This little one has fire in her belly. I would take great pleasure in breaking down those walls."

His innuendo made my stomach roll. I quickly realized that my attitude might garner me a more gruesome death. I didn't want my last moments on earth to be defiled by rape, so I dropped to my knees and curled against myself, mumbling almost incoherently. "Just kill me and get it over with. Please…please…God. Please don't rape me!"

The big man threw his head back and laughed, grabbing a bundle of my hair and pulling me to my feet. _What is it with men and hair?_ I struggled against his hold and shrieked in pain when he tightened his grip. Seconds later, the brute gently released me, and I fell to my knees, thankful to be free of his constraint. As soon as my body hit the ground, I knew I needed to attempt to escape my two assailants before I became dinner...or worse.

I pushed myself off the ground with every stitch of energy I could muster and sprinted toward the house with utter abandon. I couldn't help but compare my current plight to those unfortunate souls featured in horror flicks, when the maniacal laughter emanated from behind my quickly retreating form. Every few feet, I looked behind me, desperate to escape my new predicament. However, my slight bout of freedom ended when I rounded the last corner of the house and a cool hand snaked out and grabbed my wrist. His touch incited a blood-curdling scream to escape my lips, quickly silenced by a swift clip of the back of my attacker's hand.

Instinctually, I flinched away from my assailant and backed myself against the other who had come at me from behind, leaving me at their mercy. _Damn!_

The vampire before me grabbed me by the wrist and drew me close, throwing me over his shoulder like a Neanderthal. "YOU. ARE. MINE," he growled as he toted me back around the house.

The man named Demetri (more like Mr. Neanderthal) laughed maniacally in my ear and threw my body to the ground. My head bounced with a sickening _thwack_. He quickly pinned me under one of his massive paws and used the other to unbuckle his trousers. I squirmed under his hold, kicking and hitting anything that I could connect with my extremities. I would not relinquish my body to this fiend. I would fight him until my last breath, but I would never yield.

"I'm not gonna die like this. I refuse to die like this," I muttered, closing my eyes when the sound of fabric rustled in my ears.

My tear-rimmed eyes sprung open and swept up to met the beautiful boy's garnet gaze. He looked pained as he watched my would-be attacker release the zipper of his pants. I narrowed my eyes and glared at him, silently beseeching him to spare me the humility of this disparaging act. For some reason I knew he had the power to stop him, yet for several moments he didn't move.

_Anger._ I watched the emotion as it swept over his features and coursed through his hardened veins, bright scarlet, pulsing around his slim frame like a second skin. The boy tore off his cloak and roared in fury, grabbing Demetri by the nape of the neck and throwing him to the ground. The blond grabbed a handful of hair, tilted his neck back, and sunk his teeth into his trachea, removing a large chunk of flesh in the process. He spat the disgusting tissue on the ground and growled, stepping back to watch the large wound weep venom down his cloak.

The larger vampire bound to his feet seconds later and dove into the boy's shoulder, catching him slightly off guard. The boy tilted his palms and splayed my fingers open, allowing an inky, billowing smoke-like substance to seep out of hands. Unfortunately, whatever gift the boy possessed worked slowly, and the caveman wrapped his arms securely around his torso, slipped his forearms under the boy's armpits, and bound him to his chest in tight headlock, preparing to remove the lovely boy's head. But nothing happened.

In the blink of an eye, both men crumbled to the ground-one uninjured and the other curled into a ball. The flaxen-haired boy fell forward to his hands and knees, gasping for unnecessary breath. Without a conscious thought, I rushed to his side and dropped beside him, brushing his long, fair hair from his face, suddenly fearful for his safety. Why? I didn't understand my actions. I placed my hands on either side of his face and opened my lips to speak, but my words were overshadowed by a feral scream that ripped through the darkness like fiery claws, sending up a crescendo of pain and misery to the heavens.

"Pain," the small girl said in a singsong tone, leering at Mr. Neanderthal with demonic eyes. He was writhing on the ground as though he were burning at the stake, screaming into the heavens for mercy, as the tiny girl circled him like a buzzard. "Agony can break a person in a matter of seconds. Strong and capable warriors have all crumbled under the strain of my power. Sadistic as I am, I refuse to allow you to defile that child. Moreover, unless I am wrong, the girl belongs to Alec, and as we are the highest-ranking guards on this mission, we have decreed that this child shall remain alive and unsoiled until we arrive back to Volterra."

The raving beauty quickly stepped to the side and snatched me by the shoulders. She pulled me gently against her chest, never taking her eyes off the wailing man at her feet. The boy quickly stood, straightened his clothing, and purposely sauntered over to the massive man. He straddled his still writhing form and crouched low, allowing another round of dark, cloying smoke to seep from his fingertips. Mr. Neanderthal's eyes grew wide, and he beseeched the boy to stop the attack, questioning his motives. "The girl belongs to me!" he hissed.

Well, there went my last chance at freedom!

* * *

Hmmm. How 'bout that Zorradesombra? Reviews are always appreciated!

FYI-Bella isn't an empath. She can read auras.


End file.
